


The Strings Beneath My Fingertips

by orphan_account



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Music, Famous Phil, Gen, Indie Music, Musician Dan, original lyrics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-22
Updated: 2015-03-25
Packaged: 2018-03-19 01:53:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3591852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dan's a musician writing sad songs.</p>
<p>Phil's a Youtuber who lives below him.</p>
<p>Phil doesn't know he's who Dan sings about.</p>
<p>Dan doesn't know that Phil Lester is married.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I'm Not Blushing

**Author's Note:**

> I'm going to try and update this series (fairly) regularly. Enjoy.

Dan had really never considered becoming world-famous.

He was only an indie musician, after all. You could get sad-eyed singers like him a penny a dozen out in London. Because it was true, there were better singers than Dan. And it was true, there were better guitarists than Dan.

Before he'd moved into his new London flat, he'd never had that much success. He was good, but then most singers are. He'd sold some albums, attracted some fans, played some concerts. 

That was before he'd met the guy.

Because let's be honest, he was the cause of Dan's success. The dark-haired man in the flat below him, the one with the long fringe and the shy smile. He was. . .

Dan didn't know what he was. He just knew he had a little crush on him. Only a small one.

Only a small one. . .

He told himself that as he sat in his bedroom, fingering some chords for his newest song. It had only taken him a few minutes to get the lyrics sorted, with the only thing left to fill in the name. It was about the guy. Dan didn't know his name.

He blushed and dipped his head, concentrating on the music. A smile came to Dan's lips as he found the perfect notes, and he suddenly knew what to call his new song.

***

'I'm Not Blushing' sold 100,000 copies in the first week.

***

_'The guitar head is cold against my palms_  
_And I_  
_Would ask you your name if my heart would let me_  
_Please don't notice me yet_  
_I'm not blushing.'_

Dan's fingers felt the strings as he finished the song. His voice was rough and imperfect, but it only made the song sound better. The cheering fans seemed to agree.

For the hundreth time Dan wondered how, exactly, he'd turned into an international phenomenon overnight. Because he was now. Dan Howell, 23 years old, signed to Atlantic Records and selling a few thousand a day.

He was still too scared to ask the man his name.


	2. My Name's Phil

Phil

He had liked Dan Howell for all his life.

Well, three years. Three years, since the day he was wandering the record store and found an interesting album name. Three years, since the day when on impulse he bought Barely Breathing/Lungs Too Full. Three years, seven concerts and twelve songs. He was one of Dan's first fans; he was one of Dan's biggest fans.

Which was why Phil had been slightly irritated when I'm Not Blushing hit number 1 on the charts.

The song itself was perfect. It was easily, oh so easily, the best song Dan had ever written. It was easily, oh so easily, Phil's favourite song. Unfortunately, three quarters of the world appeared to think the same. Yes, he was being hipster now, and yes, it was amazing that Dan Howell had finally achieved mainstream success, but. . .

He had been Phil's for a few years. Dan Howell had been _his_. He'd bought the concert tickets, played the songs, worn the t-shirts and even talked about the album on his channel. That had got over a million hits. A _million_ hits, just for Dan, and now all of a sudden half the world were claiming to love him. It actually wasn't fair, and Phil had to hide a smile at the irony because here he was, AmazingPhil, famous mocker of hipsters, whining because some indie singer he liked had finally hit the mainstre-

Phil felt his bag slip from his hand and his thoughts slip from his head. "Ah, sorry," he exclaimed quickly to the person he'd bumped into. "It was my fault." Bending down low to retrieve his belongings, he was startled into a flush when he saw the man in front of him.

He was tall and skinny and blushing, floppy fringe hiding his dark brown eyes. He clutched a phone with one hand, grabbing a pair of headphones off the floor with the other. "Oh-no-I mean, it was my fault," he mumbled, cheeks going bright red at his awkwardness. "No, it's fine," Phil replied, smiling a little at the stranger's cuteness. "I do this all the time, I'm a terrible neighbour. Wait, you're my new neighbour, right?"  
The other man nodded. "Although I wasn't planning on smacking into you right in front of your flat." Phil laughed. "Me neither," he confessed. "It wasn't too bad though."  
"You sure?" the younger man asked dryly, and it took Phil a few beats to realise he was joking. "Hmm. . . no." he teased, trying not to look too much at the way the other man's cheeks dimpled when he smiled. A rush of guilt flooded his body. You're straight, Phil. You're straight and you're married and stop, Phil, stop looking at this stranger and start thinking about your wi-  
A murmur of embarassment snapped Phil out of his stern thoughts. "Sorry," the other man apologised, "you're obviously distracted and busy. I should g-"  
"No, wait!" Phil wasn't sure why he'd shouted like that, but the genuine smile that flooded the other guy's face was easily worth the embarassment. "Do you want tea or something? I just- I- It's my apartment," Phil finished feebly, well aware of the stranger's eyes on him and wondering how he'd react.  
"Uh. . . well, only if you're not busy. I don't want to cause any trou-"  
"Don't worry!" Phil reassured the other man, grinning with sudden happiness. He knew he was acting too eager, but he couldn't figure out a way to stop. "I'm Phil, by the way."  
"I'm Dan," the young man replied, but Phil was too busy leading him inside to wonder about his name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So pretty much just lovesick!Phil and shy!Dan. Chapter two of many. Don't forget to drop a kudos if you're new here, or check out some of my other fics if you like this one (I recommend Just Another Coffeeshop Story, by the way. I spent much longer on it. This is my lazy fic. Sorry.)


End file.
